Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department's planned timescale if for reopening referrals under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme Pathway 3.

Supporting the resettlement of individuals eligible under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) remains a priority for HMG.

To date we have bought around 24,600 people affected by events in Afghanistan to safety. This includes the first individuals to be relocated under Pathway 3 of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS).

Under the first stage of Pathway 3, the government will consider for resettlement all eligible at risk-British Council and GardaWorld contractors and Chevening alumni, who expressed interest during the FCDO’s window of opportunity. This means that we will exceed the original allocation of 1,500 places for the first stage of ACRS Pathway 3. Our immediate focus is on ensuring their resettlement.

In the second stage of Pathway 3, our commitment to work with international partners and NGOs to welcome wider groups of Afghans at risk still stands. We are not able to open for referrals at this present time, but further information will be published in due course.

We are acutely aware of the difficult situation that many individuals find themselves in. We continue to work with likeminded partners and those countries neighbouring Afghanistan on resettlement issues, and in order to support safe passage for eligible Afghans.